Thanks to Ralph Newbrook and Jim Sells for their football advice.
And to Sophie Hannah and James Nash for excellent feedback on the novel in its first draft.
Thanks, as always, to Burnley FC for allowing me to spend time at their training ground and get some of the facts about academy football straight.
And to Nikki Woodman for reading it through and giving me great feedback.
Thanks to the football writers’ group. And to Thomas Wigg for introducing me to the PSP.
The Football Academy series came about thanks to the imagination and hard work of Sarah Hughes, Alison Dougal and Helen Levene at Puffin, working with David Luxton at Luxton Harris Literary Agency. Thanks are due to all four for giving me this opportunity. Thanks also to Wendy Tse for all her hard work with the fine detail, and to everyone at Puffin for all they do, including Reetu Kabra, Adele Minchin, Louise Heskett, Sarah Kettle and Tom Sanderson and the rights team. And thanks to Brian Williamson for the great cover image and illustrations.
Table of Contents
Cover
About the Author
Books by Tom Palmer
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Contents
Football Academy: Free kick
Snow
Off to London
Sing When You’re Winning
Bright Lights, Big City
Central London
Craig in Trouble
One-Match Ban
West Ham v Chelsea
Arsenal v United
The Deadly Duo
Penalties
Like Father, Not Like Son
Secret Santas
Posh Shopping
Thin Ice
Red Card
The Fan
Missing
An Announcement
Chelsea v United
One–Nil
Two Minutes
Karaoke
Father to Son
Thank Yous
